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Monday, 12 April 2004

Realm of the Wolf

Some Background

Father, if I may be so bold as to recount to you the stories of your own adventures, insofar as they relate to dynastic conflicts which continue to afflict us, I will do so, subject to your correction. At this point my grandfather the Baron had remarried some years after the sad death of your own mother in childbirth. You had fostered with Jarnad Tucinate, Baron Silhar, who remained close to the Ertura family.

(Note that elements of the story told to the companions were untrue – see my account of my own discussions with Danavans. Wodarn Saloso-Alcura)

Capture by Lecahan Forces

The group continued peacefully to Monjhal, one of Lecaha’s twin port cities. There, delicate events unfolded which resulted in the identities of the group's members being discovered by the local authorities and the entire group being captured by the local sheriff.

They were sent under armed guard to Kaslinas, and there they negotiated with Pertan Lecaha, known as the White Fox, in an effort to keep the two Erturan boys safe from Queen Inaris. The party realised that Pertan was not the unequivocally loyal to the Queen.

However his two older sons, Bertan and Cermano, were fervent loyalists, and if Pertan died the group would have been in a lot of trouble. The group was keen to keep their presence unknown to the brothers, and when out hunting one day made an attempt on the lives of the brothers. However they ambush was spoiled by the passing of over a hundred Danavans moving northwards on foot. When the brothers later discover their presence, their messenger to Queen Inaris was apparently intercepted by their half-brother, the bastard Ghianbhar, who seems to be favoured by his father.

You, father, then negotiated a ransom treaty which included an agreement between Lecaha and Ertura on the safe passage of Ertura’s grandson to Matora. You were to lead a military expedition to Otgaidar to support Hiasr, older brother of the just deceased King, in a war of succession to the throne there. Ghianbhar was sent with them, to advise them militarily but also to get him away from his half-brothers.

War in Otgaidar

The Kingdom of Otgaidar is split between the Tibulani mainland and an island. The group, with their eight ships and about a hundred men-at-arms landed on the mainland near Ossori. At the shore they met the mercenary Jhadar Ialtan, who was revealed to be Hiasr, rightful King of Otgaidar, who was required to fight his two nephews to claim the throne.

The war that followed was chaotic, because the nobles supporting the three sides had holdings scattered throughout the country. Campaigning was a matter of marching through the rough countryside, raiding and besieging enemy strongholds, and always allowing for the prospect of nobles switching sides.

It was on campaign in Otgaidar that the group was caught in the coming-of-age ritual of a group of young Shanir demons. The demons attacked the Army to terrible effect. Most of the demons were killed, though one survived, which was apparently the purpose of this proving-ritual. The Shanir are huge, hulking warlike beasts who fight using enormous pole-axes. It was fortunate that the group which attacked did not consist of mature specimens.

The group also saw further evidence of unrest among the Danavans. They witnessed an attack on a single unarmed Danavan elder by a group of four younger Danavans. This not seeming a fair fight, young Gienvas lent her sword to the elder, who demonstrated a mastery of swordplay bordering on the sorcerous. The elder's name was Al'Ara Sol Ka, and he demonstrated great gratitude for the assistance offered by Gienvas.

After relieving the siege of Ossori the army marched around the countryside, until capturing one of Hiasr’s nephews, which led to a collapse of that nephew's faction. Completing the siege of Adare resulting in the vast majority of territories on the mainland being under Hiasr’s control.

Deaths at Home

At this juncture, news came from Histra that Pertan Lecaha had died. The same messenger recounted that your father had also died at the hands of a man purporting to be his nephew (the long-dead Dratapn Alcura) which impostor claimed the Barony for himself. Both you and Ghianbhar contacted your respective fathers using the talents of a local Priest of Belgris. With confirmation that your father was killed by an usurper with the help of a shadowy figure from the past, Bilador; and that Ghianbhar’s father was killed by his sons, you agreed to help each other avenge your fathers’ deaths. You returned to Lecaha.

Ghianbhar’s contacts in the city guard helped the party infiltrate Kaslinas, and the party approached Bertan as noble guests traveling to Alcura. Bertan was happy to accommodate them, and received you and your party in his keep. As Ghianbhar forced the keep with men loyal to him from the city guard, you and your friends faced Bertan, and you yourself slew Bertan in single combat. In the aftermath, Ghianbhar claimed the Barony and entered a strong alliance with Ertura and Matora to protect him from Ankheras’ wrath.

Following the assassination of his half-brother, Gianbhar was invested relatively quickly as Viscount Lecaha. His only nod towards Ankheran approval was his wait for the arrival of the Lord Deputy to witness the ceremony.

You were married to Lecaha's sister, my dear mother Anistila. Her dowry was a hundred Lecahan men-at-arms to fight in the Alcuran War of Succession. Duke Ertura and Viscount Silhar also provided military aid, and your kinswoman the Queen of Histra supported your lawful claim to the Barony. You rallied the loyal knights and fought the usurper, defeating his forces in battle several times and eventually killing him in single combat. To this day, it is not known who the supposed “Dratapn Alcura” really was.